120 Hr TEFL Course Module 1-Which Motivation/Method of Teaching is Better?

Module 1: Teaching and learning

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1.1.3 Which type of motivation is better?

While intrinsic motivation is stronger than extrinsic motivation, it is not very immediate and therefore can lose effect in the short-term. Extrinsic motivation can be very helpful in the short term, but is often only temporary. For that reason, the best type of motivation is a combination of the two. Even students with intrinsic motivation sometimes need to be motivated by extrinsic rewards and punishments to keep them on track. Here are some examples of how you can use both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation to help your students:

• We’ll start with an example we have previously used: an individual would like to learn English because she is moving to an English-speaking country. Whether she realizes it, this can be an example of intrinsic motivation and her need to fit in and be successful. You can help her access this by asking her to write down the reasons why she thinks it would be helpful to learn English, and then look deeply into those reasons. While this desire can be a strong motivator, you may find that this student begins slacking off during your lessons. She may be having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Using extrinsic motivators, such as grades or rewards, can help her over the hurdle and get back on track. The lasting motivation that will drive her to succeed is the need to fit in, but the temporary motivation of grades or a reward will help her succeed when she is having trouble seeing the finish line.

• A man comes to you and tells you he wants to learn English so he can get a promotion and make more money in his corporate career. While money and prestige are both extrinsic motivators, the need for approval and competence is intrinsic. This is an individual who is driven by the desire to succeed, so extrinsic motivators will be very effective on him. If he wants to use this as a way of advancing his career, then he will likely want to learn English while attaining the highest grades or scores possible so he can flaunt his success. This is the extrinsic carrot that you can use to help him succeed.

• A woman feels stuck in a job that is stifling and wants to pursue a career that requires her to know English and comes to you for help. This individual is intrinsically motivated by her need for control and freedom. She is less likely to be motivated by outside influences and more likely to be motivated by a less overbearing and prescribed teaching style. However, she may still require some extrinsic motivators to continue striving for success, so you may need to let her frame her own definition of success and then grade her on the framework she created. This will give her the freedom she wants while still holding her personally accountable for her actions.